Upset by a reversal by Brevard School Board members to not name schools that could be closed prior to the November election, Veronica Dogru decided to do something about it.

She filed a complaint with the Florida Attorney General, which helps enforce public records laws. She wanted school board members to share information on which schools are being examined for closure.

Florida is known for its broad Sunshine Law and government transparency, the Cocoa resident reasoned.

Doesn’t the public have a right to know which schools could close if a half-cent sales tax fails at the ballot?

“It’s just wrong, and it bothers me,” she said. “They may not have made a formal list, but they’re looking, you know they are.”

Then the official answer came back: No, in case this, the law does not apply.

“The Public Records Law covers records made or received in the course of official business; it does not extend to ‘information’ which has not been reduced to a public record,” said Lagran Saunders, assistant attorney general, in an email.

The issue is whether there’s a public record to disclose. Florida’s Sunshine Law doesn’t require officials to create a public record to accommodate a request.

In this case, Brevard Public Schools has not yet started its closure analysis, so there is no list that would be required to be made public.

Last school year, facing political fallout after closing three schools, school board members said that they would name schools for potential closure before the 2014 election.

In the last two years, officials have closed Gardendale Elementary on Merritt Island, South Lake Elementary and Riverview Elementary in Titusville and Clearlake Middle in Cocoa that spring.

But now that November is approaching, school board members have changed their mind, believing more harm than good could come from naming schools early. It adds undue stress to students and staff, they say.

Their position — which came by consensus, not an official vote — is actually a more nuanced direction to district staff: To start the closure analysis later this fall.

That will allow staff to use the latest student enrollment data in making any closure recommendation.

— Mackenzie Ryan, FLORIDA TODAY

Tipton’s last day passes quietly

Howard Tipton’s final Brevard County Commission meeting as county manager on Tuesday was relatively short and relatively non-controversial — unlike some past commission meetings during his nearly five years in that job.

Wednesday was Tipton’s last day as Brevard County manager. He will become St. Lucie County administrator on Nov. 1. Current Deputy Brevard County Manager Stockton Whitten on Thursday replaced Tipton.

Tipton on Tuesday thanked the commission for giving him “the opportunity to be a part of this great organization and this great community. It’s been such a blessing to be a part of everything. I can’t tell you how much my life has been enriched.”

“You have helped us manage through some difficult situations, and keeping service up” at a time of county budget cuts, Fisher told Tipton. “You’ve done a wonderful job, and it has not been easy. Thank you for what you’ve done.”

“I want to thank Howard for his service,” Commissioner Chuck Nelson said. “St. Lucie County, I think, is going to be a good challenge for you, and I think they’ve done well in your selection. So best of luck.”

Commissioner Trudie Infantini, who had clashed with Tipton in the past, said nothing.

— Dave Berman, FLORIDA TODAY

Port’s charter OK is ‘fantastic’

Rockledge attorney and Port Canaveral Charter Review Committee Chairman Scott Baughan said it is “fantastic” that the Florida Legislature unanimously approved the charter changes for the port.

“I think that it was a really extensive process,” Baughan said, estimating that he spent more than 100 hours working on the project.

In addition to the changes in the governance issues at the port and establishing term limits for port commissioners, Baughan said he is pleased to see the added protection for the commercial fishing businesses at the port.

“Commercial fishing in Florida has become something of an endangered species,” said Baughan, a partner in the law firm Moore, Eavenson and Baughan.

Baughan said he felt the charter changes also help establish “a clear chain of command” between port commissioners and the port chief executive officer.

In a statement, Canaveral Port Authority Commission Chairman Tom Weinberg cited “the diligence and commitment of the business and community leaders, port staff and commissioners who worked together on these improvements” to the port charter.

Because it is a special district created by the Florida Legislature, the port must have its charter changes approved by the Florida House and Senate and signed by the governor.

This is the first comprehensive change to the Canaveral Port Authority charter in the port’s 60-year history, although individual charter amendments have been approved over the years.